{
  "id": 12659825,
  "title": "Countries weigh banning smart glasses over privacy concerns",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/countries-weigh-banning-smart-glasses-over-privacy-concerns",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-07T15:37:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "KahawaTungu",
    "slug": "kahawatungu",
    "url": "https://kahawatungu.com/countries-weigh-banning-smart-glasses-over-privacy-concerns/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Governments and organizations worldwide are contemplating restrictions on smart glasses due to privacy concerns stemming from the technology's potential to discreetly capture images, videos, or audio recordings. Here is a breakdown of the measures being taken to safeguard privacy, arranged alphabetically by nation.\n\nIn Australia, the federal government is contemplating a prohibition on the use of camera-equipped smart glasses in government workplaces, citing privacy and security concerns. Public Service Minister Katy Gallagher has requested advice from the Public Service Commission on whether such a ban should be implemented, along with any necessary exemptions.\n\nBritish courts in England and Wales have already prohibited the use of Meta smart glasses in court settings due to the devices' capability to capture images and videos. Additionally, British cinema operators are developing policies to either prohibit or restrict the use of camera-enabled smart glasses in movie theaters, according to the UK Cinema Association, which announced this in August.\n\nThe European Union is also scrutinizing the use of smart glasses, with European privacy regulators and lawmakers expressing concern. The European Data Protection Board has commissioned a report examining the societal acceptability of these devices. A member of the European Parliament, Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová, has urged the European Commission—without proposing specific legislation—to consider potential actions regarding smart glasses.\n\nIn Norway, the government plans to propose a temporary ban on the use of AI glasses in public areas where people frequently congregate, such as parks, beaches, museums, shopping centers, and public events. Oslo, Norway's capital, has already banned smart glasses in schools since August.\n\nIn the United States, New York's Unified Court System has prohibited smart glasses from all its court facilities since July 20. This rule encompasses both prescription and non-prescription eyewear or headwear containing cameras, microphones, computers, or other recording technology. Visitors found with smart glasses are required to surrender them to court personnel for safekeeping prior to entering the facility.",
  "summary": "Governments, courts and companies are considering restrictions and examining existing rules on smart glasses amid worries that the technology, brought to mainstream by Meta’s Ray-Bans, could be used to photograph, film or audio-record confidential materials or people without their knowledge. Here is a summary of what countries and regions are doing to protect people’s privacy, [...] The post…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}